roses, thorns, sweetly scented petals
by InPerfectSilence
Summary: One could compare Isuke to a rose; sweet, beautiful, trimmed to perfection, but riddled with thorns. Haruki, then, would be the wildest of roses, all growth and vibrant and untameable. For all their differences, they seem to draw together too often. (Unconnected oneshots revolving around Haruki and Isuke, AU style)
1. sweet voice, blind eyes

**Another HarukixIsuke fic?! Whatever were you thinking, clicking on another HarukixIsuke fic?! Obviously you like HarukixIsuke, so have some HarukixIsuke.**

**In which Haruki is blind, and Isuke is a thorn-covered rose.**

* * *

There was a girl, once. She was, as far as girls go, quite pretty – she was easy to look at, in any case – although she was not anything particularly special. She had a thick mane of red hair which always seemed so vibrant, quick fingers and calloused hands, eyes hidden behind bandages.

Rumour had it, the girl was blind.

Inukai Isuke was not one for rumours. Or small talk. Or any kind of talking, really. The only time she was known for talking was to spout out a barbed comment or scathing insult, even if her voice was said to be sweet like honey. It was a sweet sound most people didn't miss.

She knew this.

Isuke didn't care what others thought. Isuke acted for herself, because she was the only person who could do so. And, according to that logic, everyone else should just mind their own business, thanks.

The girl (why give the peasant the honour of a name, Isuke thought)would always sit by the window of the café. Isuke would never be seen dead in such a dreary, pathetic place, but…

One day, it rained. It poured. And Isuke decided in that flash of a moment that being caught standing in a pathetic excuse for a café would be acceptable once people saw the rain pelting down from the heavens.

She hoped her hair didn't get wet.

And so, rich girl Isuke found herself sitting by an empty table, wringing her hair. Actually, that would be technically untrue – the emptiest table in the small but too-crowded café was the one with the girl, the one with that stupid smiling bandage girl.

"Must be raining pretty heavy, huh?" The voice wasn't unpleasant, Isuke had to admit, unfortunately, but it was raw and slack, not at all the kind of person she wanted to be associating with. Bandage girl would have been staring out the window had she eyes, but instead had a delicately masculine hand placed against her chin. If she expected a response, Isuke said nothing, so there would have been disappointment.

Isuke's hair was dry by now, but the rain only forced down harder than before. Isuke had money, so she called over a waiter with a glance and asked in her nicest, most venomous voice, for a caramel latte to keep her occupied and warm. Even when the drink was placed in front of them and Isuke began to drink, bandage girl said nought. Silence reigned for a little bit longer.

"Sorry, do you have the time on you?" Bandage girl asked, in what must have been her politest voice, but Isuke still scrunched her nose in poorly hidden disgust. Bandage girl didn't have the privilege of seeing it.

"No I don't." She snapped, but bandage girl didn't seem to mind the harsh tone. If anything, she leaned into it. Caught every word. Sighed. "It's too dark out to see the time anyway… I sincerely hope you didn't have anywhere to go."

A sweet voice dripping with sarcasm and screaming 'I don't care', but the other girl didn't give the satisfaction of a response. Not for a while.

"No, I guess I don't."

There was a laugh and that same smile, but Isuke, master liar, could tell it was as empty as her cup. It was so empty Isuke felt something hurt. Of course, she wouldn't relent. Inukai Isuke didn't feel… Sympathy. Inukai Isuke didn't hurt for the sake of others.

When the rain finally let up, Isuke stood up with haste, perhaps with far too much haste, and her knees ached. She left that dingy café as quickly as her feet would take her, very much planning to never go there ever again and mentally planning a new route to walk home from work to do so.

Only the puddles remained of the torrent from minutes prior. Now, the sun shone brightly, smiling.

When Haruki could no longer hear the sweet-voiced girl's footsteps, she wondered why there was a fresh caramel latte in front of her.

She took a sip.

It was sweet.

* * *

**Cross uploaded from tumblr because formatting. Enjoy sporadically posted oneshots infrequently.**


	2. sweet voice, blind eyes - 2

**Continuation of that blind!Haruki au, which might even continue for a long while, aha**

**edit: cheers, fixed up that odd sentence. This is what you get for updating when sick I suppose. **

* * *

The third time Haruki visited the cafe after the rainy day was just over a week later, and it was a pleasant day outside. She nursed a caramel latte in her hand.

It had been a busy week, so Haruki hadn't had the time to come and sit, and listen, and drink. But now it was much calmer outside, and here she was, drinking, listening, in silence.

Well, not perfect silence.

"Good morning!" Haru's voice entered Haruki's ears, because nothing was beyond her hearing. She knew at once it was Haru's voice. It was sweet, light, youthful... Yes, it was sweet. But Haruki was used to it, and it didn't make her heart flutter.

"Good morning," Haruki replied, carefree, and turned towards the sound where she though Haru would be. There was no correction, so she must have gotten it close. Then Haru must have moved, because suddenly her voice was coming from the opposite seat. Haruki adjusted accordingly.

"How're you today, Haruki-chan?" Haru's cheerful voice carried across the soft murmur of the cafe with ease. Haruki imagined there was a smile on the smaller girl's face.

What did a smile look like?

It was a simple motion, a pulling back of lips, so she'd been told. Haruki smiled, and, with a gentle press of the finger, felt the contour of her mouth. Haru said nothing, polite as always.

"Pretty good, thanks," Haruki said, at last, and could feel the nod and gentle smile from across the table. There was another comfortable silence as Haruki took a sip of her latte. The drink was cooling. Perhaps she had waited too long. Ah,well, the sweetness was still there. No matter how long Haruki waited, it was still sweet.

"Alright, Haruki-chan?" Haru was saying, when Haruki tuned back in. "You sit here a lot... Are you waiting for someone, maybe?"

Haruki smiled, into her cup which was now only a little bit less full than before.

"You could say that."

"Ah, Haruki-chan! Who could it be that you're waiting for? Haru is curious!" Haru's voice was rising in pitch as she got worked up, and Haruki found it endearing, really. The girl was like a child, both in voice and, probably, everything else. And though Haruki was fine with these kind of inferences, she wished, just a little bit, that she'd been born as lucky as everyone else.

"I don't know yet," Haruki sighed wistfully. She leaned back in her chair, allowing caramel scented perfume to enter her nostrils. She wished she could see Haru as she leaned closer, a little dramatically. "Not yet."

"Oh, how mysterious of you, Haruki-chan," Haru gasped, causing Haruki to laugh a little. Mysterious? Not so much. Haruki would rather have called herself hopeful. She was always hoping. Hoping that one day, she might be free of her bandages and walking stick. Hoping that one day she might hope again.

Hoping that one day, she might hear that sweet, sweet, caramel voice.

"Ichinose." Azuma, now. Azuma Tokaku. Haruki could tell that stern voice apart from all the other workers at the cafe, and of all the workers, Azuma was the only one who would address Haru by her last name. "Your shift starts now. Dress up."

As usual, Tokaku spoke with a terse, almost relenting voice, and Haruki imagined she was walking away by this point, because her footsteps were never, ever audible. It gave Haruki chills.

"Oh dear, sorry, Haruki-chan, I have to go. I'll talk to you afterwards...?" Haru was probably already up and moving to follow Tokaku's call (man was she whipped) when Haruki signalled a yes with a small little nod.

"I'd like that."

And then it was silent again. Haruki paused, sipped, fumbled at her bandages. Sometimes, her face stung as if it missed being able to see, even if Haruki had been born blind as a bat. What a curse. What a burden.

Her latte had just about been finished, for she was never one to waste food, even if it had gone cold, when the door opened again. Normally, Haruki would have paid it no mind, but something was familiar. Something familiar which was currently making an order for a familiar drink.

A voice as sweet as caramel latte.


	3. sweet voice, blind eyes - 3

**another installation of That Haruki/Isuke Fic You See Occasionally With The Really Cheesy and Forced Lesbian Au. Aka this one ahah ah. **

**Special thanks to all reviewers and thanks to one for pointing out a mistake. Please, do the pointing out mistake thing if you please except maybe some nice things as well im a terrible person. **

* * *

That day, Isuke was really trying so hard to avoid that dingy little café, but no. Before she even realised it, she was opening the door, with a little ring, and stepping inside, even though there was absolutely no reason for her to come back.

The sky was perfectly clear, too.

The café was, by far, less busy than the last time she came. Only a few tables were occupied, and only two people manned the counter. How pathetic, she thought to herself, as she ordered a caramel latte.

The bubbly girl behind the counter, whose badge identified her as "Ichinose Haru", was too familiar and her voice set Isuke's teeth on edge. Thank god she didn't try and strike a conversation. Isuke would have thrown up.

With her order set, there was nothing left to do but wait at an empty table for the latte to arrive. So Isuke did just that, and waited. Her fingers drummed impatiently on the desk. Her eyes glared at everyone around her, flicking from person to person, examining them, sizing them up.

She revelled in their discomfort.

And over there, in the corner, next to the window, was bandage girl. The beautiful scenery out the window was wasted on a blind girl, Isuke thought, especially one with such tacky nail polish, and that violently messy hair. If Isuke's eyes lingered, she certainly didn't show it.

"Your caramel latte, miss!" It was that annoying "Ichinose Haru" again, and she didn't look the least bit perturbed by Isuke's famed scowl. So she took her drink without complaint and without a thanks, leaving the waitress to walk away bemusedly.

Isuke took a sip. It tasted better this time. Maybe it was worth coming back for again.

No, of course not. Ugh. What disgusting coffee. Yet she kept drinking. Perhaps she was even… procrastinating? What for, though? Isuke never would do such a… a _second-class thing_.

Speaking of _second-class things_, there was a certain bandaged second-class citizen finally arising from her table across the café, and Isuke was not openly gazing at her as she stood, or anything.

She wasn't looking as another café-goer laughed, and so carelessly and horribly turned around, waving to someone behind them. She definitely wasn't looking as said person, not seeing where they were going, collided head on with something.

She saw bandage girl fall, caught the gasp of surprise on her lips. Had she eyes, they would have been wide. In slow motions, hands flailed helpless at the unyielding air, and the blind girl fell with an audible sound. Isuke felt her teeth grit at the sound. It was the sound of head hitting tiled floors. It was the sound of a wound sever enough to bleed.

A moment of silence. Nothing. Then action.

The stupid, careless café-goer looked with dismay at the scalding hot coffee over their shirt and pants, and was the first to move, spouting useless apologies to anyone who cared to listen as they dashed to the bathroom. There was a soft murmur as others decided who should be the first to get up and help.

Bandage girl had seemingly resigned to her fate and was attempting to sit up, and beneath her head was a patch of blood.

"Ah, wait a pain." Isuke said with a malicious smile, and as she stepped forward, the small crowd hushed. Then there was that solid murmur again. What pathetic fools. So pathetic they couldn't even help themselves, could they.

"You're a careless idiot." Said Isuke, bluntly, as she leaned over the girl who was currently prone on the floor. The girl said nothing in reply, but there was a faint smile on her face. What a ridiculous person.

"Ah! I-I'm so so sorry! Let me help, Haruki-chan, oh I'm so very sorry…" Ichinose Haru was here, now, with a wet cloth and a pathetically miserable look on her face. Isuke scoffed. She didn't need this stupid waitress to help her do such a mundane job as help a blind girl to her feet.

"Tch." Isuke took the newly dubbed Haruki's hand with her own, and could feel the very moment Haruki's surprise turned into gratitude. Their hands fit. No, no, such strange thoughts didn't belong in Isuke's brain. "Haruki, huh? Stop lying there, then, fool. Get up."

Strangely enough, Haruki complied. With Isuke's reluctant assistance, Haruki got to her shaky feet. She was still smiling that stupid smile. That stupid, heart-wrenching smile. For a moment, Isuke just stared, and Haruki looked off into the distance as blind people often did. Haru stood there like an awkward fish.

"O-oh! Do you two… Know each other?" She asked, clutching the cloth close to herself and forgetting it was wet. What a fool.

"No."

"One day."

Isuke started at Haruki's odd, rather cryptic reply. _One day…?_ As if in answer, Haruki turned so that she was, more or less, facing Isuke.

"One day I would like to get to know you." She said, with a bluntness that surpassed even Isuke's own. How naïve.

"No." Isuke turned up her nose, but she couldn't help but sneak a glance at the enigmatic, bandage-sporting, red-head. Said red-head rubbed her head and it came away sticky with blood. She laughed, and it irritated Isuke to no end. Yet she was still here. Why?

She was still there, caramel latte going cold on her table, as Haru apologetically wiped away the blood from Haruki's head, and the floor. Haruki laughed it off with that laugh of hers, with that "Sorry, sorry" of hers. Isuke wondered what her eyes looked like.

With an annoyed click of the tongue, Isuke turned to the waitress.

"I'd like another caramel latte." She ordered, and the waitress snapped to attention with a smile. Haru was about to leave, when…

"Make that two."

And then it was just Isuke and Haruki, standing there, and Haruki was grinning like a child.

"Stop that."

Haruki didn't stop, so Isuke sighed and led her back to her table. And, for some reason, Isuke felt compelled to sit across from her. Maybe it was that hopeful smile. Maybe it was just curiosity.

"Sagae Haruki. Call me Haruki."

"Inukai Isuke. And I'm not calling you Haruki. What a peasant." Isuke rested her face in her hands and was glad Haruki was blind, because she could run her gaze over her face without anyone getting the wrong idea.

"Okay then, Inukai Is-"

"Isuke-sama, to you, Sagae," Isuke growled, but if Haruki was intimidated, she didn't show it.

"Sorry, sorry," she laughed, waving her hands in front of her. "Okay then, Isuke-sama."

Isuke faltered.

Her name sounded so sweet, coming from those lips.

* * *

**an important announcement da dadada..!**

**Because this story is supposed to be bunches of AUs that aren't connected I've decided it's time to start on another au. i have two in mind: supernatural-high-school!au, or the actor!au. Review and decide!**

**For clarification, aus never end, really. Just look out for the chapter title, and chapter titles that are the same share an au! Easy peasy! So if you like this one but hate whatever the next au is, that's ok, just look for more chapters called "sweet voice, blind eyes"**

**tl;dr vote option 1 or 2 for freshness, and keep watching out for chapter titles!**


	4. sweet voice, blind eyes - 4

**another blind chapter because there was a tie. srsly people ok if this keeps up i'm going to have to start putting weighting on reviews. As much as I hate to say it, but from now on, if you post a proper review with feedback or commentary or w/ever, your vote is worth two. Please break the tie so i can write the next au I'm really excited.**

* * *

Haruki had seen (In whatever sense was possible) Isuke a total of four times by the end of the month - the first three times were in that fateful cafe, often with her friend, Haru's, help.

Those three times, Isuke had been all but welcoming. She had a sweet, but venomous voice, and she hadn't said anything nice to Haruki whatsoever. Yet, Haruki was absolutely insistent on hearing that voice as often as possible.

"Why are you so interested in this girl, Haruki-chan?" Haru asked, one day, as Haruki took a sip of caramel latte. She wouldn't have ever ordered such a sweet coffee before. "She's…"

"Hey, hey, you've said this every time," Haruki shook her head and clicked her tongue. "I know she hasn't acted completely friendly to me, or anything. But she has such a nice voice."

"You sound like a hapless teenager." Tokaku snipped in, from where she was washing mugs over to the side. Haruki heard a soft slap of flesh meeting cloth and assumed Haru had given Tokaku a gentle tap. Like a tame animal Tokaku said no more.

"Hey, Azuma? Keep at it." Haruki teased, and buried her face in her latte again. Tokaku may have growled. "Besides, why would the oujo-sama herself come back to this little cafe more than once?"

Perhaps Haruki was right in her suspicions and hopes. Either way, the very next day, she hadn't even met the halfway mark to her daily destination when it happened.

Haruki was too poor to afford a guide dog, and never saw it as a necessity. Besides that, she knew the way to the cafe with her eyes closed (metaphorically, of course) and was surprisingly nimble, for a blind person.

So she shouldn't have tripped when she did.

She must have gotten a little careless, or maybe it was bad luck, but her foot tripped on a loose pebble and the air rushed by her face too fast. She barely had time to gasp before she hit the ground.

Actually, she never hit the ground. Something lithe yet strong wrapped around her waist, and caught her, like a damsel.

"Watch it, Sagae."

Ah, it was Isuke-sama.

"Sorry, sorry," Haruki apologised, though she didn't feel or sound remorseful. She could almost hear the scowl on Isuke's face. It was beautiful. "Thanks for catching me, Isuke-sama."

Haruki could feel arm muscles tense around her stomach. Pause. And then, Isuke forced Haruki onto her feet, and something cool was pressed into her hand - her walking cane.

"Thanks, Isuke-sama!" Haruki couldn't keep the grin off her face. It was a miracle, she decided, that she should find the owner of that honey-sweet voice for a fourth time. And, to think she should find Isuke outside the cafe!

It was a true coincidence.

But, perhaps, there was more to it.

Haruki wished she could stare Isuke right into the eyes, to see into the window of her soul, or something. What colour was Isuke's hair? What about her eyes? What was colour? What were eyes?

"Don't sound so… So…" Was Isuke lost for words? Haruki laughed a little and was blind to the glare she received. "Idiot. You're lucky Isuke was here, you know? You should be kissing my feet right now."

Isuke was right. And as haughty and dangerous as Isuke was, Haruki could help but grin, slowly kneeling on both knees, close to the ground as she dared.

"My life is in your debt, Isuke-sama," Haruki said, quite seriously. Isuke didn't seem to think so. "Whatever shall I do to repay you?"

"Get up, first of all." Isuke snapped back, and though it was barbed to the point of hurting, Haruki got up, laughing. Haruki imagined Isuke was crossing her arms. The idea was somehow endearing. "You're embarrassing yourself, and me."

"Ah, sorry, sorry. Doesn't Isuke-sama really care so much about me?"

"No." Isuke shot back too quickly. "Now, I've got to get going-"

Without thinking, Haruki stepped forward, towards Isuke's voice, and tapped her cane against what she hoped was Isuke's calf.

"How about," She said instantly, before Isuke could get away from her, "staying a while. I feel I hardly even know you."

"That's because you don't."

"But I would like to!" By now, Haruki was wondering when her playful guile changed to desperation. With careful fingers, and an educated guess, Haruki reached out with her free hand for Isuke's hand. She grabbed something, though it felt like an arm, and the grasp was a little awkward. Isuke tried to run, but thankfully Haruki was strong.

"I want to know you, Isuke. Isuke-sama. Won't you just humour me?"

Isuke didn't pull away.

By the end of the next month, Haruki had met Isuke a total of seven times. And she treasured every sweet moment together.


End file.
